By DOTTY NIST
In anticipation of Red Nose Day, an event to combat children’s poverty, county commissioners, county staff and other community members donned funny noses during a break from the May 24 Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting at the Walton County Courthouse.
County Commission Chair Sara Comander came to the meeting with a large supply of red noses to pass out.
Comander commented that Red Nose Day had been started in England to help feed starving children. She urged meeting attendees to bear in mind that some children in Walton County go hungry, particularly when school goes out of session, since they depend on breakfasts and lunches provided to them at school. These may be these children’s only meals of the day, she explained.
“It’s a wonderful way to support our children who can’t help that they’re hungry,” she said of the Red Nose Day campaign.
Red Nose Day is a nationwide annual event celebrated for the second year in 2016 in the United States, although the event has been observed in the United Kingdom for over 25 years. “Get seriously silly,” is the campaign motto.
Red noses sold by Walgreens, exclusive retail partner for the campaign, are worn by campaign supporters on May 26, official Red Nose Day.
Red Nose Day is part of a nine-week charitable campaign that kicked off on March 28 this year.
A Red Nose Day Special aired on NBC on May 26, featuring 65 stars and highlighting children in need worldwide.
Funds raised, along with proceeds from the sale of red noses and related merchandise dubbed “Red Flair” items, go into the Red Nose Day Fund, which benefits a number of organizations, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Children’s Health Fund, Covenant House, Feeding America, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, National Council of La Raza, National Urban League, Oxfam America, Save the Children; and The Global Fund.
Supporters wearing their red noses were invited to share their portraits on social media using the hashtag #RedNose.
More information on the Red Nose Day and the Red Nose Day Fund is available on the website www.rednoseday.org.